John h



(No Model.)

J. H. ELWARD.

* MOWING MACHINE. No. 279,926. Patented June 26, 1883.

UNITED STATES JOHN H. ELVVARD, OF POLO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MARYELVARD, OF

SAME PLACE.`

MowlNe-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,926, dated June 26,1883..

Application filed 0ctobcr3I,18S2. (No model.) k.

To all z'ulwm/ t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. ELwAnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Polo, in the county of Ogle and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a top plan view of a mower em; bodying my improvements. Fig.2 is a side elevation'7 partly in section. Fig. 3 shows one of thecrank-wheels detached. Fig. ,tis a crossse'ction on the line x w.

In the drawings, A A represent the main drive-wheels. They are looselymounted on the axle B, being provided with backingratchets of anypreferred character for joining them to the axle when moving forward.The axle extends to points sufficiently far outside of the .wheels toaccomplish the pur'posesto be hereinafter described.

C is the draft-tongue. It is situated transversely to the axle, andsupported thereon by means of an intermediate beam, B', which isfastened upon and parallel to the axle. The beam is secured to the axleby means of ears or bars I) b, fastened to the beam B', and to loosecollars Z/ around the axle. is supported upon the beam B"by means ofbraces or standards C', each having its ends respectively bolted to thebeamv and to the side ofthe tongue. Upon the tongue, and in the rear 'ofthe axle, is mounted the drivers seat D, it being adjustablelongitudinally on vthe tongue, so as to be readily put into thenecessary' position to have the weight of the driver assist incounterbalancing the weight at the forward end of the tongue. Thisadjustment is permitted by means of a longitudinal slot, c, wherein thethrough-bolt which holdsthe seatstandard can be slipped forward or back.

E represents the double-tree, to which the draft of the horses isdirectly applied through the'single-trees e e. The double-tree issupported upon the under side of the tongue, and has a flexible directconnection with the axle or the beam by means of the draw-rods F F, thelatter being preferably formed of one piece of metal, bent-at the centerto providea U -shaped stirrup-piece, f, which is supported The tongue Cin the loop F, and which is connected to the whifiietree by means of alink, f.

W'ith the supporting-frame and frame thus constructed is connected thecutting apparatus, which consists of the cutterbar H, with knivesattached, the finger-beam H, and the shoes I I. rIlhe shoes I I aresituated on lines outside of the drive-wheels, and are each providedwith a wheel, z', mounted in a slot in the shoe, there beingupwardly-proj ecting ears or standards i to support the caster pin orshaft. The cutting apparatus is connected with and supported upon andpushed forward by means of the connecting-frames L L. There is one ofthese at each end of the machine, each being loosely supported at oneend upon the axle by means of a collar, and the other being rigidlyattached to the corresponding shoe, I. These frames permit the cuttingapparatus to be swung up or down about the axle as a center.

K K are bevel-wheels secured to the axle at points outside of thedrive-wheels A A, and are arranged to mesh with pinions K K. Thesepinions are on the upper ends of the crank-shafts K2 K2, which latterare mounted in the inclined frames L L, by the sides of and preferablyparallel to the drive-wheels. At the lower ends these shafts K2 carrythe crankwheels M, said wheels being situated in proper positionrelatively to the cutter-bar to properly -reciprocate it.v 1

N N represent the pitmen by which the crank- "wheels are connected withthe cutter-bar at points suitably near both ends of the latter, and bywhich the reciprocating motion is imparted thereto.

In addition to the supporting-frame for the cutting apparatus which Ihave above described, I employ a stiffening and bracing mechanism,consisting, mainly, of across-bar, O, having downwardly-drooping endportions O', firmly bolted or otherwise fastened to the ends of thefinger-beam. By means of this frame not only is the cutting apparatusstrengthened and held in proper position, butv also said apparatus canbe adjusted and elevated either entirely or at one end.

To effect the adjustment or elevating of the cutting apparatus, I employa lever, l?, at the the draftcenter, mounted on the top of the tongue,and

wheels.

connected by means of a short arm, p, and a chain or chains, p, with thecross-bar O onthe last-described frame. Vith the lever may be combined aratchet and pawl or dog of any approved character, for holding the leverin the necessary position. By these means the whole cutting apparatuscan be lifted. When it is desired to lift only one end of the same, itcan be accomplished by means of one of the levers, B, which are mountedat suitable points between the driving-wheels and the tongue, and areconnected with the cross-bar o r frame O by chains, or in any otherpreferred way. The tongue is made to assist in bracing and steadying themovable parts of the machine by means of a stirrup or yoke, O3, the legsof which are situated comparatively close to the tongue, and arefastened at their lower ends to the crossbar O. XVhen it is made in twopieces, the upper ends are fastened rigidly together, though the wholemaybe, if preferred, formed in one piece. The tongue is somewhat roundedat the point where this bracing-yoke is situated, in order to permitmore or less of a rolling action of the cutting apparatus, which actionresults, to a greater or less degree, when one end is elevated by thelifting devices hereinbefore described.

f he pitman at each side of the machine is provided with lserratedprojections on', so shaped as to catch the falling grass and throw theupper ends thereof inward, so that it shall not fall upon the outside ofthe shields or guides Q to come in the path of the drive- At k theframe-piece L is expanded to provide both a covering or shield for thecrank-wheel, and also a strong connection between the upper path of theshaft-frame and the shoe. By applying the reciprocating motion at bothends the bar is kept under proper tension and the motion is distributedthroughout the whole length of the bar, one end being pushed while theother vis being pulled,

obviating the difficulty heretofore experienced in using the cutter-barsdriven at one end only,

especially when the grass is thick and heavy.

What I claim isl. In a mower, the combination ofthe bevelwheels K, theaxle rigidly connected thereto and projecting tothe outside thereof, thebeam Win92@ B, above and parallel to the axle, the tongue supportedabove the beam by means of braces or standards, the crank-shafts, oneupon each side of the machine, and the frames for supporting said shaft,attached to the outer end of' the axle, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the bevel-wheels, the axle rigidly connectedthereto, the cutting apparatus in front of the drive-wheels, the meansfor driving both ends of the cutterbar, the tongue supported by bracketsabove the beam B', the bracing-frame O O, rigidly secured to the ends ofthe finger-beam, and the lifting apparatus, substantially as set forth.

3. Incombination with the bevel-wheels, the axle secured thereto, thefinger-beam in front of the driving-wheels, the shoes at the ends of thefinger-beam, the inclined crankshafts,and the supporting frame-pieces L,having the expanded shield portion lc, which cover the crank-wheels, andalso provide a connection for the frame-pieces with the shoes,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the drive-wheels, and the cutting apparatusarranged in front of the drive-wheels, of the pitmen provided withprojections which engage with the grass and throw it inward,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the drive-wheels, of the cutting apparatusmounted in front of said wheels, the gearing at the sides of the machinefor transmitting power to the cutterbar, the tongue, the bracing-frame OO, the

lifting-lever at the center for elevating the whole cutting apparatus,and the lifting-levers at the sides for lifting either end at will,substantially as set forth.

G. In combination with the drive-wheels, the cutting apparatus mountedin front of said wheels, the cross-frame O O, rigidly connected with thefinger-beam, the tongue situated above the cutting apparatus, andl thebraces, a steadying device situated by the sides ofthe tongue andrigidly secured to the frame O O, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.V

JOHN ELVARD. Vitiiesses:

H. H. BLiss, M. P. CALLAN.

